Coupe brings drivers back to a more simple time, but don’t look for a lot of practicality

Originally published: April 9, 2014

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There’s something special about going back to a time when things were simpler. A time when the stimulation of technical gadgetry, smartphones and social media wasn’t how we filled our days. The days when you picked up the phone to call someone instead of a long, drawn out text conversation. When entertainment wasn’t consumed by status updates on Facebook or about what you ate for breakfast was on Twitter.

Don’t get me wrong, I find myself guilty as charged (not about the what-I-ate-for-breakfast-on-twitter posts!), but the desire to be spoon fed what’s going on in the world by 140 characters or less. And to converse via the keypad on my smartphone.

That’s why, when entering the 2014 Scion FR-S, I found it to be a refuge.

Yes, there’s Bluetooth so I can make or receive incoming calls, but the cabin is stripped down. No system reading me text messages. No Internet browser. No fancy bells and whistles. I felt at home.

The simplistic centre stack of the Scion FR-S is basic, but checks the right boxes. And the leather-wrapped steering wheel feels good, too.Alexandra Straub, Driving

It’s a place that reminded me of all that was/is good in automobiles. A manual transmission. A naturally aspirated engine. No flamboyant instrumentation taking my eyes away from where they’re supposed to be. Just a compact cabin. And the same (or very similar) digital clock that used to adorn my first car, a 1991 Toyota Corolla station wagon.

Just plain automotive goodness.

While you still have the wonders of modern technology sewn into the seams of the FR-S — think Scion’s Star Safety System that included active safety features like vehicle stability control (VSC), traction control (TRAC), an anti-lock brake system (ABS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), brake assist (BA), and smart stop technology (SST) — you get the full glory of a car that drives, handles and exudes what a modern-day sports car should.

All for less than $30,000.

Under the hood of the Scion FR-S is a 2.0L, 4-cylinder engine that generates 200 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque.Alexandra Straub, Driving

Under the hood of the Firestorm-hued, rear-wheel-drive sports coupe is a 2.0L horizontally opposed flat-four boxer engine with an output of 200 hp and 151 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s then linked to a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission.

When you get behind the wheel of the FR-S, put the key in the ignition, shift it into first and drive off, you’re taken into a whole new world — a world that allows you to smile without hesitation as you rev its engine. It’s a place where it feels good to be alive.

The sport-tuned suspension stimulates your confidence in corners as this ground-hugging vehicle executes them with quiet confidence.
The three-spoke wheel, tilt and telescopic leather wrapped steering wheel automatically feels good to the touch and even better when turning it.

Since the FR-S has the aforementioned ground-hugging characteristics, get ready to get low into it. Furthermore, its cabin is not sizable. Though there is room for four, I am not sure I’d want to put anyone in the back, though it is possible. Regardless, it’s a great ride just for the driver, and even a co-pilot, too.

The nostalgia associated with my recent test of the FR-S runs deep. Having first experienced a pre-production prototype in 2011 at the Fuji Speedway in Japan, then again in Quebec on a racetrack in 2012, the FR-S, has the ability to leave a lasting impression. Its competency is perhaps its defining feature, but you could also say its styling and ability to stir emotions in the soul count for something as well! You can’t help but have a good time in the captain’s chair, if that’s what you’re looking for.

But if you’re looking for practicality — more specifically trunk space — you won’t find too much in this vehicle. Around back, there’s a mere 196 litres. It fits a piece carry-on luggage and a few other miscellaneous items. Then again, if you need a larger cargo capacity, the Scion xB might be the better bet.

But when it comes to fun factor, the FR-S is not without.

The 2014 Scion FR-S has an MSRP of $26,450 (excluding taxes and delivery).